Echo Park’s PETA headquarters still a work in progress

It’s been nearly two years since the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals purchased the former Sleep E-Z mattress showroom in Echo Park to serve as the animal rights group’s West Coast headquarters. Officials had initially said that the renovation of the 80-year-old building – which will be named after TV game show host Bob Barker, who donated $2.5 million for the project – would be ready by summer 2010. But the complicated task of reinforcing the building’s concrete columns and installing new plumbing, heating and electrical systems delayed the project, leaving officials to predict that the Sunset Boulevard building would be finished this past summer. Of course, that did not happen. PETA spokeswoman Jane Dollinger did not have many details but said work is underway:

Construction delays―especially on projects this size―are par for the course. We’re very excited about the new building, and we’ll keep you posted on the new opening date, which should be soon.

When completed, PETA will emerge as one of Echo Park’s largest private employers, with initially 60 to 80 expected to work at the building when it opens, Dollinger said.

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I just hope that they are not planning to apply for a beer and wine permit. Also, are we worried that they will protest against mohawk bend? I am concerned about what they will do to the fabric of our neighborhood.

Hi folks, To answer your questions: Yes, we are hiring in Echo Park (check out our website for job listings for LA area positions) and many of our current staff already live in Echo Park and Silverlake. No, we won’t be protesting Mohawk Bend, we’re rejoicing! The plethora of vegan options there are to die for and some of our staff are already regulars. We can’t wait to move in. See you soon.

Dear Tracy, Thank you for your timely response to the above queries. Speaking as a member of the community – as well as an animal-lover – I wish to welcome you to Echo Park. I look forward to foisting a glass of Mohawk Bend’s finest with you and your colleagues.

As a local business owner right next door to the new PETA headquarters we are super excited to welcome them to the neighborhood, but we are more excited for the construction to be complete. The construction is wreaking havoc on the local businesses. They are consuming all of the available parking and obstructing entrances and exits to other businesses. When asked to move they are extremely rude and many times flat out refuse. This has been going on way too long is there any end in sight?

We are so sorry about the construction as I know how painful that can be but please know that we are working very hard to get this done. It really shouldn’t be too much longer. Thank you so much for your patience and we’ll see you soon.

Tracy I appreciate your response. I’m sure you guys are ready for this project to be done with as well. I do have to agree with EP1989 in that it would be great if PETA would take a more active role in reducing the impact of their construction on the community.

Please know that we have discussed these concerns with the contractors, most of whom park many blocks away, but there are dozens of workers there now trying to get the work done as quickly as possible. We are almost there so please try to hang on just a little longer.

As for the color of the building, you’ll just have to wait and see but I assure you it will look terrific!

We at PETA very much love the animal companions who share our homes, but we believe that it would have been in the animals’ best interests if the institution of “pet keeping”—i.e., breeding animals to be kept and regarded as “pets”—never existed. The international pastime of domesticating animals has created an overpopulation crisis; as a result, millions of unwanted animals are destroyed every year as “surplus.”

This selfish desire to possess animals and receive love from them causes immeasurable suffering, which results from manipulating their breeding, selling or giving them away casually, and depriving them of the opportunity to engage in their natural behavior. They are restricted to human homes, where they must obey commands and can only eat, drink, and even urinate when humans allow them to.

Because domesticated animals retain many of their basic instincts and drives but are not able to survive on their own in the wild, dogs, cats, or birds, whose strongest desire is to be free, must be confined to houses, yards, or cages for their own safety.

PETA say’s: “They are restricted to human homes, where they must obey commands and can only eat, drink, and even urinate when humans allow them to.”

Seems like a strange comment. My cat eats, drinks and urinates when he wants to. In fact, it’s a well know fact that pets eat/drink WAY more in a home as a pet than if they were in the wild. Plus, in a home they don’t have to worry about being eaten alive as they do 24/7 in the wild. This is backed up by the evidence that the average lifespan of pets (at least with cats) is usually 2x longer in a house cat than a feral cat. Part of that is probably the reduced stress of not having to worry about being attacked by a predator 24/7.

Though I do agree that intentional breeding seems to have gotten out of hand, it only adds to the problem of overpopulation, and that a lot of the breeding to purebred status has created animals with many health and mental problems. Though this shouldn’t be mistaken with adopting from a shelter as I have done with my mutt of a cat.

Perhaps that was the meaning of the PETA statement (I admit I didn’t click the link, just read the posts above).

I think animal rights activists start to get too idealistic about how ‘good’ a wild animals life is in the wild. The wild is rough and brutal, the ultimate test of endurance were the strong survive and are perhaps lucky enough to die of old age rather than be killed/eaten alive by bigger pray. The less-than strong? Well, it gets ugly fast.

My cat can sleep fearless in my household, w/o worrying about being attacked in his sleep and eaten alive. If you were reincarnated into a cat, would you rather be a feral cat in the wild or a house cat?

ok – I totally agree with PETA’s attitude towards pet ownership. Who can I contact at PETA to find out where I should discard my two cats and two dogs. Thank you in advance for your response – I’m here to help. M

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